On Drama Translation

On Drama TranslationLike their contemporary prose translators who were introducing Western fiction to China, budding dramatists were enthusiastic about bringing Western plays to the Chinese stage. The first play was staged in Japan from an adaptation of Lin Shu's translation of Uncle Tom's Cabin. A Chinese student in Japan named Li Shutong adapted the script. The play was put on by members of the Chun Liu (Spring Willow) Drama Society. Their performance marked a complete break from traditional theatrical practices. After the May 4th Movement, complete translations of plays were published and used in productions. Many established writers began to try their hand at writing scripts for the stage. Also in the introduction of foreign masterpieces, a lot of famous translators were produced. If we have a try at drama, we can find it very difficult, more difficult than the translation of novels. Actually, drama is very different from novel. And drama translation must be done in a much different way. First, drama scripts are written for stage performance. So the translated scripts must be suitable for the audience. But poems, prose and novels are written for reading. Though sometimes foreign scripts are produced only for reading, there are seldom the cases. Also the foreign playwrights would be against that. Second, drama performance is a comprehensive ways of acting. It is an audio-visual art, which needs lighting, stage properties, and sound effects. The lines by the actors contribute a great deal to the success of the play. The audience relies heavily on the lines of the play. Most of them are ordinary people, but not erudite scholars. The actors usually don’t repeat the words except for the sake of laying stress. If the lines are too obscure, the audience will get confused as a play goes on without a stop. Third, there aren’t any annotations in a stage performance. In a novel, the hidden intention of the characters, the natural and social background, cause and effect of the subtle changes of the emotions can be stated by the narrator. So the readers can grasp the whole text and better understand it. But in a play performance, the audience get information only from the lines of the characters. Further more, foreign playwrights often use puns or allusions in a play. It is really difficult to translate them in simple language due to the cultural differences. For example, an allusion in the original play may be very appropriate and enlightening. But a literal translation of it may cause great trouble to the Chinese. And an annotation for the allusion is not feasible because in stage performance, an actor can’t speak the annotation. He can only use sign language, stage properties to imply it. So drama translation sets higher standards for the translations. So the above-mentioned three characters of drama require a popular and simple language of the translation. For example, in the revised version of the translation by Yang xianyi of Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, the translator adds some words, delegate some to make the second version simpler in diction and structure. Example 1:

The Mother: (to Clara) Give it to me. (Clara parts reluctantly) Now (to the girl) this is for your flowers. (Act I)
[First version]
母亲 （向克拉刺）把钱给我。（克拉刺勉强把钱叫给母亲）（向卖花女） 去，这是赔你的花的钱。[1](P.9)
[Second version]
母亲 （向克拉刺）把钱给我。（克拉刺勉强把钱叫给母亲）（向卖花女） 去，这是赔你的钱。[2](P.462)In the first version, the translated sentence “这是赔你的花的钱”seems more faithful and close to the original text. But it is awkward sounding. But the revised version is easier for pronunciation and causes no cause in understanding: in the text, the money is surely the compensation for the flower but not other things. Example 2:

Algernon: Ah! That must be Aunt Augusta. Only relatives, or creditors, ever ring in that Wagnrian manner. This is from the Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, a line by Algergon, when he hears the rings of the bell. Wagner refers to a famous German playwright...

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

...3
THE THEORY OF TRANSLATION OF A DRAMATIC TEXT
In general, translation is “rendering the meaning of a text into another language
in the way that the author intended the text.” (Newmark 1988, p.5)
However, the mission of a translator of a dramatic work is slightly different from any
other literary piece. A dramatic text is written in order to be performed on stage. The
translator of such a text has therefore to bear in mind that the readers (i.e. the audience
in this case) shall not only follow the written form of the script but also and primarily its
spoken version. This fact influences the work of a translator to a great extent. He has to
chose words that are easily pronounceable by actors and comprehensible to the
audience. At the same time he ought to aspire to maintain the meaning and form of the
original as much as possible so that the translation represents the goal and effort of the
original author. Each translator aims at a maximal realistic authenticity, including both
the inner (author’s and director’s notes) and outer language of the drama.
“Translation, the surmounting of the obstacle, is made possible by an equivalence of
thought which lies behind the different verbal expressions of a thought. No doubt this
equivalence is traceable to the fact that men of all nations belong to the same species.
When an Englishman is thinking of the woman whom he describes as...

...﻿Research Report
To find out what the best solutions will be for Westwood Hockey Club’s systems, in a group we investigated the requirements for each type of system and we documented these sources of information.
A system to store and process club members’ records
For this research I found a spreadsheet for Bamber Bridge United Junior Football Club’s member records from Ross the manager. This is how the club keep track of all their members and their details. It has columns for Name (for which the surnames have been deleted for privacy), Phone Number, Email Address, Address and Comments.
It is useful that it stores information such as Phone Numbers and Email Addresses because then the club will have ways of contacting parents if there is a need to. The Comments column is also very handy as it includes things that may affect the children health wise (e.g. Asthma) and arrangements made in regards to their safety. It is set out in a simple organised way which is easy to read but it lacks some information that could be helpful. For example the Age of the children could be added; which team they belong to (e.g. Under 10s); Parents’ Names and when they attend club meetings if there is different days to go. This would make the club more organised and it would make it easier for them to run.
Although for the most part the spreadsheet serves its purpose, the information could be better stored in a database as databases have certain features that are valuable for storing this...

...题 目:Translation skills of China's Contemporary Prose
中国当代散文汉英翻译技巧
Abstract
In this paper, the emphasis is translation skills of China's contemporary prose, from 1919, China's prose begin to present a picture of prosperity and most of them are filled with writers’ contemplation on life, many contemporary writers come out in an unending flow. This paper explains the reason to make research on the topic. In addition; it also provides abundant typical examples to illustrate general principles and skills of translation in the process of argumentation.
Key words: skills, prose, simplicity, symmetry.
Introduction
China’s contemporary prose took a new look after 1919. Many outstanding writers appeared at that time like weed through the old to bring forth the new. For example: Bing Xin, Lu Xun, Lao She and so on. China’s contemporary prose has many typical characteristics and is popular with ordinary people, because the scenes and the descriptions in it are not only connected with the ordinary people of a country. China's contemporary prose are very simple, containing the history and culture and at the same time, providing foreign scholars with a shortcut to understand the Chinese ideological development since the May 4th Movement of 1919.There are many translators are devoted to the translation of china’s contemporary prose, like: Fu Lei, Zhang PeiJi, their...

...TRANSLATION: The process of turning an original or "source" text into a text in another language.
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES
Direct Translation Techniques are used when structural and conceptual elements of the source language can be transposed into the target language. Direct translation techniques include:
* Borrowing
* Calque
* Literal Translation
Borrowing
Borrowing is the taking of words directly from one language into another without translation. For example software, funk. English also borrows numerous words from other languages; abbatoire, café, passé and résumé from French; hamburger and kindergarden from German; bandana, musk and sugar from Sanskrit.
Calque
A calque or loan translation is a phrase borrowed from another language and translated literally word-for-word. Examples that have been absorbed into English include standpoint and beer garden from German Standpunkt and Biergarten; breakfast from French déjeuner.
Literal Translation
A word-for-word translation can be used in some languages and not others dependent on the sentence structure: El equipo está trabajando para terminar el informe would translate into English as The team is working to finish the report. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. And one sentence can be translated literally across languages does not mean that all sentences can be translated...

...2013-2014
LEGAL TRANSLATIon
SUBMITTED TO:
INTRODUCTION
TRANSLATIONTranslation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text.
Semantic Translation: Semantic translation takes advantage of semantics that associate meaning with individual data elements in one dictionary to create an equivalent meaning in a second system.
Literal Translation: Literal translation, or directed translation, is the rendering of text from one language to another "word-for-word" (Latin: "verbum pro verbo") with or without conveying the sense of the original.
Functional Translation: Functional approach to translation values the context and desist from treating language merely as a code.
Official translation: A complete and accurate translation into English from the issuing language.
DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCE:
Dynamic equivalence (or functional equivalence) conveys the essential thoughts expressed in a source text.
In this, translator focuses more on the culture and linguistics expression.
FORMAL EQUIVALENCE:
Formal equivalence focuses attention on the message itself, in both form and content.
While the translator is trying to find formal equivalence, he or she is closely following the form, content and structure....

...George Wang
Mr. Bates
ENGL 1310-037
October 6, 2010
The Comparison of Original R&B and Contemporary R&B
I was born with a good voice. Since my childhood, singing has been the most wonderful thing to me, and it has become the hobby that I enjoy the most. Whenever I am pleased or depressed, singing always assuages my mind and helps me release my feeling and emotion. Seeking in a million kinds of music, I like R&B the most, especially Contemporary R&B. Specifically, R&B music is categorized into Original R&B and Contemporary R&B. Original R&B, Rhythm and Blues, originated from African Americans in the 1940s, and Contemporary R&B is a brand new form of R&B music; it was born in the 1980s (“Rhythm and Blues”). For the following paragraphs, I am going to evaluate the characteristics and styles of Original R&B and Contemporary R&B music.
Generally speaking, R&B music is the “‘urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat’” (“Rhythm and Blues”). Both Original R&B and Contemporary R&B possess this characteristic; however, Original R&B music has a slower and softer beat since it is played as a smooth and soulful music. Original R&B has more blues elements, just like it is expressed, Rhythm and Blues. On the other hand, Contemporary R&B is similar to hip hop. The tempo tends to be faster in order to create a happier atmosphere. Additionally, it has a relatively harder and more repetitive beat. That is why Contemporary R&B is simply called R&B...

...Articles
http://www.sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/Visitor-Info/Meet-the-guides/Meet-the-guides/default.aspx?FolderID=48
Lotte – Inspiration for Anne Frank - Holocaust museum
ESSAY ANALYSIS FROM YEAR 11 ENGLISH
Perspective can vary in stories due to different circumstances. The Diary of a Young Girl is a subjective story of Ann Frank’s personal experience during the Holocaust. Ann Frank’s diary was written at the time of the event she has not had time to reflect on her experience and will often give exaggerated anecdotes. Ann Frank’s voice is an immature, naïve, youthful voice she is a hormonal thirteen year old girl. “When I came here, Father told me about prostitutes, etc., but all in all there are still unanswered questions”. Frank does not have the authority Chang has; the responder makes allowances by taking what Ann says with a pinch of salt. The diary of a young girl entertains the responder with her interest on the development of her body, sex and her interest in boys this can be seen in her constant questioning. The responder will take Frank’s narration with consideration as she is a thirteen year old girl who will often use exaggerate.
Elements belonging to personal stories enable audiences to gain wider insights and perspectives into stories. Ann Frank is a character who is quite loveable; Frank is a typical teenage girl the responder perceives Frank as a...

...Extra material for chapter 4 Van Leuven-Zwart’s comparative–descriptive model of translation shifts1
The most detailed attempt to produce and apply a model of shift analysis has been carried out by Kitty van Leuven-Zwart of Amsterdam. Van Leuven-Zwart’s model takes as its point of departure some of the categories proposed by Vinay and Darbelnet and Levý and applies them to the descriptive analysis of a translation, attempting both to systematize comparison and to build in a discourse framework above the sentence level. Originally published in Dutch in 1984 as a doctoral thesis it is more widely known in its abbreviated English version which consists of two articles in Target (van Leuven-Zwart 1989, 1990). The model is ‘intended for the description of integral translations of fictional texts’ (1989:154) and comprises (1) a comparative model and (2) a descriptive model. Like Popovič, van Leuven-Zwart considers that trends identified by these complementary models provide indications of the translational norms adopted by the translator. The characteristics of each model are as follows: 1 The comparative model (1989: 155–70) involves a detailed comparison of ST and TT and a classification of all the microstructural shifts (within sentences, clauses and phrases). Van Leuven-Zwart’s method (1989: 155–7) is as follows: • Van Leuven-Zwart first divides selected passages into ‘comprehensible textual unit[s]’ called ‘transemes’; ‘she sat...